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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28931796">His butler, sick</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosebayard/pseuds/rosebayard'>rosebayard</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Looking after Sebastian [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Caretaking, Comfort, Coughing, Hurt Sebastian Michaelis, Hurt/Comfort, Illness, Injury Recovery, M/M, Sick Character, Sick Sebastian Michaelis, Sickfic, Vulnerability, Whump, looking after Sebastian, throwing up</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 14:02:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,121</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28931796</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosebayard/pseuds/rosebayard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Don’t cough right next to my ear,” Ciel hissed quietly. The familiar bite to his tone was enough to dredge Sebastian up from the depths of his coughing fit, lending him a few brief moments to catch his breath.</p><p>The request, however, proved to be much easier said than done, especially as Sebastian was still holding the young Lord in his arms.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sebastian Michaelis &amp; Ciel Phantomhive</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Looking after Sebastian [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139456</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>His butler, sick</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is really just a fic about Sebastian getting incredibly sick after ‘Book of the Atlantic’ :3</p><p>tw: contains descriptions of throwing-up and mild mentions of blood/injury</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Don’t cough right next to my ear,” Ciel hissed quietly. The familiar bite to his tone was enough to dredge Sebastian up from the depths of his coughing fit, lending him a few brief moments to catch his breath.</p><p>The request, however, proved to be much easier said than done, especially as Sebastian was still holding the young Earl in his arms.</p><p>“My apologies, young master. Perhaps, if my Lord wished to stand up by himself…”</p><p>“Don’t be tiresome!” Ciel snapped, as Sebastian made a move to extricate Ciel from clinging to his front. Ciel’s eyes flashed perilously as his fists clutched into the blood-spattered fabric of Sebastian’s shirt, brooking no argument that he would be remaining affixed to Sebastian’s chest awhile longer, at least until the remaining rescued passengers were allocated a cabin on the ship.</p><p>Under the pretence of preventing hypothermia with a single blanket, they had so far managed to conceal the fact that Sebastian was walking around with an injury that would have left any other man dead.</p><p>Sebastian halted his efforts to untangle Ciel’s arms from around his neck. Instead he sighed, wrapping his arms around the young Lord’s back and pulling him closer, so he wouldn’t shake Ciel around too much when he was overcome with what was to be an inevitable second coughing fit.</p><p>Sebastian really needed to hold onto something while this was happening, he thought, glancing around for a railing to steady himself. But their rescue vessel was no luxury cruise ship, and finding nothing, Sebastian had to make do with ducking behind a row of storage containers, his breath choking wetly in his throat. He stumbled, doubling-over as he coughed wrenchingly over Ciel’s shoulder.</p><p>“S-Sebastian! You’re making a scene!” Ciel’s voice sounded tight and furious, wavering at the edges. For once Sebastian felt clumsy, caught between keeping his balance, holding onto Ciel, and trying to desperately muffle any further coughs in his hand, he was being far too loud. If he was ordered to sickbay, even a cursory physician wouldn’t miss the mortal gash running across his chest, and sailors were known to be more superstitious than most.</p><p>“I beg… your pardon..” Sebastian said hoarsely. The smile he gave Ciel was oddly apologetic as he took out his handkerchief and wiped his mouth.</p><p>With another few steps, Sebastian managed to get them a little further out of sight. His efforts to reclaim his composure, however, proved to be short-lived, and Sebastian dropped to his knees as another string of coughs spluttered out of him, clasping his gloved palm over his face and twisting away from Ciel as best he could.</p><p>Pain jarred through the wound in Sebastian’s chest with each spasm, his eyes had begun to water from the force of his coughing. As his chest heaved with each movement, Sebastian nearly caged his hand to his front in an attempt to subdue himself. Instead he found himself still wrangling Ciel’s weight against his side, trying to support him from practically being thrown-off by Sebastian’s hacking.</p><p>“Please excuse me-” Sebastian gasped. He wrestled through a shuddering breath, before more coughs burst from his mouth, echoing wetly as he failed to raise his hand in time. Sebastian ducked his head, his vision spotting bright and blurry. He needed to spit blood, but at this point he was no longer exactly sure where Ciel was or where to aim.</p><p>“Here-” Ciel said curtly, and suddenly Sebastian found a handkerchief being clamped over the lower half of his face with all the gentleness of someone attempting to chloroform him.</p><p>The glare the butler served Ciel in return was nothing short of piercing, before his inhale caught warningly in his throat, and Sebastian coughed without restraint into Ciel’s waiting handkerchief, his eyes flashing wide and uncertain before he could help it. For the first time, Sebastian felt the unsettling sensation of his ears popping, of nausea biting in his stomach as coughs tore desperately from his lungs, shaking him by the shoulders as he fought to sit upright.</p><p>“I’m afraid I-” the sentiment remained unfinished as Sebastian’s breath seemed to trip over his own coughing, he sputtered horribly as his fingers clutched around his middle. <em>I’m not done? I’m dreadfully sorry? I can’t stop?  </em>Sebastian muffled his cough back into the handkerchief in Ciel’s hand as something wet and sticky dislodged from his lungs. Ciel’s expression hardened, his hand never once flinching as he rubbed Sebastian’s back, then patted his back firmly every time the demon seemed to struggle through a particularly soaked, upset cough.</p><p>“You are being abhorrent,” Ciel muttered.</p><p>“…I know,” Sebastian said thickly, then immediately regretted it, for the damage that crossed Ciel’s face was worse than if Sebastian had dropped him.</p><p>Closing his eyes, Sebastian attempted to focus his stamina into quelling the spasms that kept throwing him forward, his coughing was shaking them both terribly and Ciel couldn’t do much in the way of holding the butler up. He gave a few gasps, and when he could breathe without some kind of awful rattling, Ciel removed the blood-soaked handkerchief from Sebastian’s face. Sebastian shivered, still panting, and Ciel could feel each unsteady rise and fall of the demon's chest against him.</p><p>“Sebastian? Do you have a chill?” Ciel’s voice sounded waspish, masking his apprehension toward this new danger on the horizon. Sebastian was clearly trying to collect himself, but his bouts of coughing had set-off an involuntary trembling in his body. Sebastian gritted his teeth as he fought this too.</p><p>The blanket they had been sharing had long since fallen to the ground, and Ciel briskly gathered it around Sebastian’s shoulders. Darting a brief glance to their empty surrounds, he then rearranged himself in the ailing Sebastian’s lap once more, wrapping his arms and legs around the butler's chest. It reminded Sebastian of the way he often brought the young master a hot water bottle when his asthma was troubling him, although until now, Sebastian had never understood exactly what it was about warmth that could be soothing.</p><p>“Well? Are you going to make me repeat myself?” Ciel snapped harshly, his cheeks flushing in irritation. Sebastian possibly shouldn’t have allowed himself a low chuckle, because it immediately tugged another flurry of coughs from his lungs, though these were not nearly so damp as before. Sebastian raised his fist to his mouth to catch the outburst, though from Ciel’s distasteful expression, Sebastian could surmise on this occasion, he hadn’t been quick enough.</p><p>“Forgive me,” Sebastian said huskily, then tried to clear his throat. <em>Having </em><em>a chill </em>wasn’t a state he was sure he could experience, but his body was listing between hot and cold, that much was certain. The nausea that had threatened him earlier now seemed determined to resurface, and Sebastian could feel an unpleasant, warning prickling at his skin. The tacky dryness in his throat was not sitting well with the demon at all, and he instinctively wanted to move Ciel out of the way.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Ciel yelped, when Sebastian wasted no time cupping his hands under Ciel’s underarms.</p><p><em>Trying not to frighten you, </em>Sebastian nearly found himself answering, but he kept his jaw clenched shut and held his breath instead, suppressing a reflex to gag that lurched him dangerously forward. Sebastian knew he didn’t have much time.</p><p>Not at all pleased with being handled like a drowned kitten, Ciel twisted unhelpfully in Sebastian’s grasp as Sebastian hurriedly manoeuvred him aside. Sebastian hardly liked being caught off-guard either, but there was no help for it now. Sprinting for the side of the vessel would only draw more attention to a scene Sebastian was already unlikely to forgive himself for.</p><p>Twisting away from Ciel, Sebastian threw his arm out as an additional precaution to keep Ciel at a distance, before his body seized, a convulsion flinching through him without control. His cough sounded dry and strangled and more embarrassing than he'd like to admit, before pitch-black liquid poured from his lips, spilling over the deck beside him. The unhallowed retching sound he made unnerved even Sebastian, who couldn’t do more than determinedly keep himself facing away, another rush of inky liquid forcing its way up his throat.</p><p>“<em>Sebastian!</em>” the cry Ciel made was fraught and unguarded, and for a moment Sebastian worriedly caught the Earl’s hand, it would do nothing to aid their cause if he accidentally summoned a crowd with his panicking.</p><p>“I’m quite fine, young master… here, I’m fine,” Sebastian said weakly, kindly even, before he had to duck aside to spit out another mouthful of sick. He narrowly avoided it splashing over his own trousers this time, and he needed to be more careful not to alarm Ciel. Sebastian raised his head to offer a reassuring smile, but then immediately needed bring up more.</p><p>“-gugh!” Sebastian pitched forward, his face stricken as more of the vile substance spouted from his mouth. He sniffled, his expression a contorted mess as he compelled himself to be still. Of all the things, his nose was running now too, and this Sebastian would definitely rather Ciel not see. </p><p>“Sebastian, <em>Sebastian</em>, did you hear me-”</p><p>Sebastian lowered his head between his knees, he was struggling to stay conscious and not slip into the puddle of black where he was being ill. Ciel had grabbed him roughly by front of his shirt, to shake some life into him or to keep him upright, Sebastian wasn’t quite sure. His young lord was too close, when Sebastian still felt like voiding his entire stomach, and Sebastian quickly lifted his sleeve to dry-retch into the crook of his arm, then turned his head and spat away from both of them, grimacing in regret. His master was making this awfully difficult.</p><p>“-I said.. I said you're doing perfectly fine, alright? So stop... stop keeping it in and making it worse!”</p><p>Sebastian nodded, his coughing gentler for his surprise. Turning his head away from his lap again, Sebastian tried to indicate the direction he would be sick. In a wordless agreement, Ciel moved to steady Sebastian from behind, and Sebastian summoned what energy he had left to let out a last weak stream of the vicious substance.</p><p>"...thank you..." Sebastian managed, though the next sound to escape him was more of a pained hiss. His eyes became dark and glinting as he flinched his head toward the edge of the storage crates in warning- their next problem was still too faint for Ciel’s human senses to pick up, but to Sebastian, the sound of approaching footsteps was unmistakable.</p><p>When the crewman rounded the corner, he found the Earl and his butler standing in polite conversation near the stern of the ship, the butler holding a neatly folded blanket in front of his chest. The Earl seemed noticeably less settled, his stare needful and demanding as he set eyes upon the crewman, then looked somewhat defensive as the crewman’s gaze travelled to the rivulets of sticky black ichor that ran across the decking.</p><p>“As you can see, I have been quite unwell,” said Ciel, his head held high and his tone unmoved. “I’m afraid the motion of the sea no longer agrees with me. Will arrangements for lodgings be finalised at any point soon? We’ve been waiting quite a while.”</p><p>Sebastian offered an agreeable smile, standing steadily behind his master as the crewman, a man of few words it seemed, blinked in surprise. The scene looked more like some nefarious creature had been dredged-up from the deep and met its last hours at the corner of their ship. That substance, whatever it was, was dark as night…</p><p>But it would be rude to stare and embarrass the young noble, and who knows what connections he might have to the captain who hired him. Instead the crewman bowed his head, informing the Earl that a cabin was indeed now ready, and gruffly apologising for the delay.</p><p>“Very good,” said Ciel, who stepped forward without so much as a backward glance at his butler, following the crewman as he dutifully led the way.</p><p>They had barely made it below deck when Ciel paused, however, waiting until he felt Sebastian’s familiar presence behind him.</p><p>“Sebastian, keep up. I’m feeling rather unsteady, so I’d prefer if you kept your hand at my shoulder until we reach our cabin.”</p><p>Ciel waited again, before Sebastian’s shadow fell across the passage as the demon stepped closer, his glove coming to rest at Ciel’s jacket.</p><p>“Yes. Of course, young master,” Sebastian murmured. His fingers still felt shaky as his grip found purchase in Ciel’s shoulder, and he could’ve sworn Ciel eased to a slower pace. Sebastian stayed like that, walking quietly at Ciel’s side.</p><p>-</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you so much for reading!! &lt;3 I wasn't sure if many would like sick!Sebastian, but I hope you enjoyed :_) comments or kudos are always loved and appreciated!! ;w;</p></blockquote></div></div>
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